


Replicated Stress Relief

by izzyb



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-25
Updated: 2010-01-25
Packaged: 2017-10-09 18:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/90465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izzyb/pseuds/izzyb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wasn't sure he'd even call this a date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Replicated Stress Relief

He wasn't sure if he could call this a date, because they merely headed in the same direction after agreeing drinks were in order following the longest shift in the record of the long shifts Jim had demanded from his crew ever since drawing near the Klingon border and being attacked by more than one rogue vessel. The first one had surprised them; the second and third they were prepared for. The day ended at the twenty-five hour mark and they had the next day off to rest while other members of the medical staff took a turn healing the injured and preparing for civilians caught in the middle.

McCoy knew that if he even sat down for a second alone in his quarters, he would pass out and sleep for the next twelve hours. Yet he wasn't sure that was the way he wanted to relieve the tension of having his hands in the chest of a red-shirted ensign only thirty minutes before. Spending another full day hip-to-hip in surgeries with Chapel had only made him more aware of her, more aware of his desire to see her outside of their duties. And not just because her head bent in concentration was damn distracting—it was also the way she clipped her vowels when stressed, losing her mother's soft Southern drawl for her father's harsher Yankee accent.

So, they didn't call it a date, but he had seen the way she had watched him (when she thought he wasn't looking), saw her eyes widen almost imperceptibly when he stretched his arms back behind his head on a brief break during hour ten and flashed a bit of his stomach. He may or may not have done it on purpose, but spying her interest meant he had to do it more than once, just to see those eyes darken again.

The mess hall was only half-full. Only the crazy ones went here when their shifts were over rather than collapsing where they stood or walking zombie-like to a warm bed. Dozens of tired crewmembers were sitting at tables, massaging aching neck muscles and drinking and eating, but not talking about anything at all. The battle was too fresh in their minds, and they needed sleep to process.

"What do you want?" he asked, heading towards the replicator. Replicated drinks were not the best, but it was all they had right now. "Wine?"

"God, no. Give me the good stuff. Whiskey."

"A woman after my own heart. Chaser?"

"Who needs a chaser if you order right? I expect to be knocked off my feet, McCoy."

He snorted as she batted her eyelashes at him, but ordered their drinks without protest and brought it back to the high-top table and chairs. "So, what you doin' after this?" he asked as he pushed her generous glass of whiskey towards her.

Christine lifted the cup to her nose and breathed it in appreciatively before taking a sip and making a face. "This is swill, Leonard. Shouldn't they have perfected the replication of alcohol by now? A girl should be able to order whiskey and not have vivid flashbacks to credit shots at the academy bars." She took another sip. "Okay, still swill, but it will do. What were you saying?"

Taking a sip of his own substandard drink and hiding his own reaction to it, he tried again. "What are you going to do today?"

"Oh, probably watch a vid and pass out on my bed." She grimaced slightly, placing her drink back on the table. "After spending some quality time in the shower—I have fluids on my uniform that really shouldn't be there."

"You did well today—these were some of our harder surgeries—but you were steady and calming."

"Was that a compliment? I should write it down on the 'McCoy acting out of character' list I'm keeping on my personal PADD."

He couldn't help the scowl. "You have a list?"

"No, but it was great seeing your frown when I said that. What gives, Doctor McCoy? You're acting a little…strange." She shifted in her seat, tightening her fingers on her glass, staring at the table as if the meaning to life was etched into the wood substitute.

Hints weren't getting him anywhere, so he decided to be blunt. "I want this to be more than friends having drinks."

Her eyes lit up and a grin spread across her face. "You going to kiss me goodnight? Because I think it is expected on the first date."

"Better than that, Christine." He leaned across the table and put a hand up to her cheek, drawing her into a very public kiss that even the sleepiest of the crewmembers present couldn't miss. He tasted whiskey on her lips before drawing back, keeping it mostly chaste for now, even though he wanted to drag her onto his lap and thread his fingers through the hair that was escaping the loose knot she had pulled it into during hour seven. There was a wolf whistle from the back of the mess and he remembered where they were.

Her face was burning as she whispered, "Wanna take this to my room?"

"Wha—?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter. We could watch one of those twentieth-century films you like and call it our second date."

"Will I get to kiss you again?"

"You can bet on it."

They ignored the eyes following them, although McCoy sighed as he knew the news would reach Jim in less than twenty minutes and he could expect a gleeful taunting and an "I told you she was interested." He glanced down at Chapel and she smiled up at him and suddenly he wasn't really worried about that.


End file.
